Cozart, Defense Lead Broncos Past Wyoming

Saturday, October 21

Boise, Idaho

8:15 PM

Boise State

5-2 , 3-0

Wyoming

4-3 , 2-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Wyoming

Boise State

10/22/2017 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

Oct. 22, 2017

BOISE, Idaho (AP)-- Montell Cozart rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another to help Boise State beat Wyoming 24-14 Saturday night.

After pulling an upset last week on the road against San Diego State, the Broncos (5-2, 3-0 Mountain West) appeared flat early, mustering only 118 yards in the first half -- just 29 of that through the air.

Trailing 7-3 to start the second half, the Broncos cobbled together an 18-play, 71-yard drive that consumed 9:46 and ended on a 4-yard touchdown run by Cozart.

WATCH | Montell Cozart caps an 18-play drive with a 3-yard TD plunge, and the Broncos lead Wyoming, 10-7 with 5:16 left in 3Q. #BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/84rrm6YxmK
-- Boise State Football (@BroncoSportsFB) October 22, 2017

Wyoming (4-3, 2-1) answered with a 20-yard scoring strike from Josh Allen to Austin Fort to take a 14-10 lead late in the third quarter.

In the fourth, Boise State took control of the game.

Cozart scored on another 4-yard run and, just more than two minutes later, hit Cedrick Wilson for a 24-yard touchdown.

Allen, who led the Cowboys with 62 yards rushing, threw for 131 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. However, in the fourth quarter, he struggled against Boise State's relentless pressure.

WATCH | DeAndre Pierce's first-career INT stops the Cowboy drive and sets the Broncos up at the Wyoming 43! #BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/P72Gs1FeWv
-- Boise State Football (@BroncoSportsFB) October 22, 2017

THE TAKEAWAY
Wyoming: Last season, the Cowboys' stunning win over Boise State ultimately knocked the Broncos out of the Mountain West conference championship game. It also paved the way for Wyoming to play for the title. The roles could very well be reversed this season, though Wyoming is still in good position should Boise State falter down the stretch as it has done the past two seasons.

Boise State: While the Broncos have languished near the bottom of the conference in total offense, they seem to be getting more comfortable with their two-quarterback system -- and it's paying dividends. Brett Rypien and Cozart were swapped out regularly, often multiple times during each drive.

The change of pace between the stronger pocket passer in Rypien and the dual threat of Cozart was just enough to put Wyoming's defense on its heels late and might prove to be the winning formula for the Broncos moving forward this season.